Bloodstained Paws
by Mossfire89
Summary: Mintsong has a good life going for her. She has a great mate, and loves her life as a warrior for RiverClan. But there's one set back, her mate is from another clan. When RiverClan and WindClan go into battle and her mate dies at the claws of Oakfoot, what will she do to avenge the cat she loved...


"WindClan, Attack!" Brownstar yowled, warriors running over our border attaking my small patrol. It was just me, and three other cats.

"Smallpaw!" I yowled, "Run back and get backup!

"Okay, Mintsong." The brown apprentice meowed, running back towards camp.

"Oh, if it isn't the prettiest she-cat in RiverClan. My pleasure to be fighting you." Graytooth, the WindClan deputy, hissed.

"Why thank you, Graytooth. Pity I can't say the same about you." I spat back at the long toothed tom. The look on his face was priceless.

He growled at me as he leapt.

I growled back at him as I slid under him, and scratched his underbelly, unbalancing him. As he crashed to the ground, I leapt on top of him, and started raking my claws across his back. He cried out in pain and tried to shake me off to no avail.

Just then, Smallpaw came back with more warriors, my brother, Sageclaw, was among them. I let go of Greytooth, and he ran across the border with his tail between his legs. "You coward!" I yowled at him as he ran.

Just then I heard a deafening screech. I looked over, and saw my worst nightmare. My mate, Stagheart, of Windclan was laying on the ground in front of Oakfoot, a RiverClan warrior. (He may have been from a different clan, but I didn't love him any different.) I thought to myself, I had to bite my tongue to keep from yowling out in anguish.

"You RiverClan snake-hearts! WindClan retreat!" Brownstar yowled, clawing Harespring.

"Yeah! Run away!" Oakfoot yowled after them.

I just stood there shocked. My mate, my everything. Dead. It took every bit of strength to not just break down and cry right then and there. Just seeing his broken, battered, bloody body laying there made me want to run up to him and start licking him.

I walked over to his body. His brilliant blue eyes had lost their light, and humor. His fur rumpled and sticking out everywhere. I began licking his fur trying to get it to lie flat again.

"Mintsong? What are you doing?" Redwhisker asked me.

"Licking his fur flat. Why do you ask?" I hissed at him.

"It's just well he's the enemy, and it's kind of weird that you are grooming him." He said, staring at me like I had just made friends with a badger.

"A warrior is a warrior where ever they are born, and they all need to be treated with respect. Any fallen warrior deserves to be given this small amount of it." I meowed, looking at him.

"Uhh, okay," he answered, walking away from me.

Line Break (3 moons later)

"Mintsong, you birthed three, but only 1 lived. I'm so sorry. It's a little she-cat." Fallenrain, our medicine cat, said looking at me.

"What? No! This can't be!" I cried out in anguish, if only Stagheart was here.

I looked down at my kit, and what I saw surprised me. She looked exactly like Stagheart. Every detail, every hair, exactly the same. "I'm going to name you, Duskkit." I purred looking down at my perfect little kit.

LINEBREAK

"Mintsong. I need to talk to you." Thornstar said, walking hastily back to his den. "Now!"

"Coming! Can you watch him, Featherpelt?" Featherpelt was the only other queen in the nursery, I asked, trying to hurry up and get to Thornstar's den.

"Of course." Featherpelt meowed.

"Thanks!" I said running over to Thornstar's den. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes, who is the father of Duskkit?" He asked, agitated.

"Stagheart of WindClan." I answered, knowing what was going to happen.

"You had kits with a WindClan warrior? How could you!" The tabby tom yowled at me.

"I met him at a gathering, and it kind of just happened. I'm sorry, but I would never change any of it." I meowed, standing tall with my chin in the air.

"Well then Mintsong, you are here by banished from RiverClan. I'm sorry, but it's code." Thornstar meowed, sadly.

I was his apprentice, but he couldn't have taught me any better. "Thornstar, you couldn't have taught me any better as an apprentice. I'm sorry, but I would never, ever change my decision. I loved him, and I'm not ashamed. And just exactly how did you find out about this?" I meowed, staring at him.

"Oakfoot told me" He answered.

"Of course. Oakfoot told you. Well goodbye Thornstar. I hope we get to see each other again soon." I meowed, padding out of the den.

I padded over to the nursery to get my kit.

"Featherpelt, can I have Duskkit, please?" I meowed, looking at my sleeping kit.

"Of course, Mintsong." Featherpelt said, handing my kit to me.

I took her by her scruff, and padded out of the den. As I was walking out of camp, Oakfoot stopped me.

"And where exactly are you going?" He asked me, stopping me in my attempt to get out of camp.

"Get out of my way, Oakfoot." I growled at the brown tom, trying to push past him.

"You can't take him out of camp, or do you just not care?" He hissed in my ear. "You know I could just get rid of that half-clan kit just as easy as I got rid of your WindClan mate."

As calmly as I could I set Duskkit down, and looked Oakfoot straight in the eyes. He looked at me with victory in his eyes, thinking he had won. He had always been mean to me as kit, apprentice, and now warrior. When he least expected it, I pounced on him. "Listen up Oakfoot. You have been mean to me as a kit, apprentice, and now warrior. You killed my mate, standing over him like you had won, that you had saved the whole clan. You are a murderer, Oakfoot! And I will get my revenge! I promise you that." I meowed, my claws just barely pricking his skin. I got off of him, and picked up Duskkit. "You haven't seen the last of me, Oakfoot." I hissed, as I padded out of the camp, and into the forest. I headed for non-ThunderClan territory, near the ShadowClan border. Bounding into a nearby tree, I found a hole big enough to lay down and let Duskkit lay beside me. I nudged her up beside me, and let her nurse. She soon drifted off to sleep, and I followed soon after. (I will get my revenge. Stagheart, you will be avenged.)

2 moons later

I had just scented a mouse, when I saw it nibbling on a seed at the base of a pine tree. I got in my hunter's crouch, crept forward, and leapt. As I leapt I heard a screech come from my left. I landed on the mouse and killed with a neat bite to the neck. Looking over I saw a white tom staring at me. His piercing blue eyes, looking at me with anger.

"That was my mouse." He growled. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Mintsong of RiverClan." I told the tom.

"I'm Fang, and you don't smell like a clan cat." Fang meowed, still looking at me weird.

"I got kicked out, cause I had kits with a WindClan tom, but he died in a battle. He was killed by one of my clan mates." I growled, still angry at Oakfoot.

"Well, what happened to your kits?" He asked, sitting down.

"They all died, except one her name is Duskkit." I answered, also sitting down. (I wonder if he would help me get my revenge? Well judging by his bloodstained paws, he could be a good help.) "Would you mind helping me get my revenge?"

"Sure, but what's in it for me?" Fang asked, looking at me with the stare of a killer.

"I will give you all my fresh-kill for a moon." I meowed, hoping he would take me up on my offer.

"I'll do it, but what would happen if we fail?" He asked, getting up to leave.

"We would probably be killed." I meowed back.

"Oh okay, whatever." Fang said, starting to walk away.

"Meet me here in one moon to go through with our plan." I yowled after him.

"Okay. I will." Fang yowled back, dashing off into the woods.

1 Moon Later

I left Duskkit in the our tree den, telling her I would be back later. She whined about me having to go, but after a while she fell asleep, and I left. Fang was supposed to meet me here this morning, but knowing rogues, he probably won't.

"I'm here." The white tom meowed walking through the ferns on the edge of the clearing.

"Finally!" I sighed getting up and stretching.

"What's the plan?" He asked, looking at me with excitement in his eyes.

"The plan is: In the morning Rosefall, Oakfoot's mate, will be on patrol." I meowed before Fang cut me off.

"How do you know that?" He meowed.

"I over heard some warriors on patrol. Anyway, she will be on patrol. I will catch a mouse soon, but not eat it. I will drag it over the border, leaving it in the clearing. That's when you will jump out, and shove her in this hollow tree. And when Oakfoot comes looking for her, I will jump him. Got it?" I meowed, looking at him.

"Okay, I got it." He answered, licking his bloodstained paws.

"Patrol should be coming soon. I'll go catch the mouse." I said, turning to go into the forest.

"Could you possibly make that 2?" Fang asked, trying to sound polite.

"Of course, Fang." I meowed, turning and dashing into the forest.

Later on

"I saw Rosefall's patrol! Get into position!" I said to Fang as I ran into the clearing.

"Okay." He answered, walking over and hiding behind some ferns a few mouse-lengths behind the mouse.

"Good, good. Here they come!" I whispered, hiding in my position.

"Hey Rowantail, I think I smell a mouse. Can I go catch it? We're almost back to camp anyway." Rosefall meowed, sniffing the air again to make sure she smelled it.

"Of course, Rosefall, but be careful." Rowantail meowed, gathering the rest of his patrol and walking on. "See you back at camp!"

"See you back at camp!" Rosefall yowled, padding into the clearing.

"Now Fang!" I yowled as the white tom jumped out and tackled the cream she-cat. "Good job!"

"Thanks, Mintsong. Now what do we do?" Fang asked, staring at me with his blue orbs.

"What are you going to do with me?" Rosefall mewed, a scared look in her eyes.

"Oh, we won't do anything to you...yet, but your mate is a whole different story." I hissed. "Put her in the tree."

"Yes Mintsong." Fang obeyed, dragging the she-cat into the hollow tree then he took up his position of standing guard over her.

"Good, good. The plan is falling into place. Fang!" I yowled at the white tom.

"Yes, Mintsong?" He answered.

"Keep an eye on the hostage. and don't let her escape. I'm going hunting want anything?" I asked looking at him with my soft green eyes.

"A vole please. They're my favorite." Fang meowed, sitting down by the hollow tree.

"Okay Fang." I yowled back at him. (The time for my revenge has come.)

Time break here

It was evening and I knew Oakfoot would't allow Rosefall to be outside on her own for much longer.

"Rosefall! Rosefall!" He yowled, loud enough to wake up ThunderClan across the river.

"He's coming Fang switch me positions." I meowed at the white tom. Obeying orders he got into the ferns at the front of the clearing.

"Rosefall?" Oakfoot meowed walking into the clearing. I acted natural, like I was just cleaning my fur.

"Oh Mintsong! I thought you were Rosefall." He sighed relieved. "Have you seen her lately?"

"Yes actually I have." I said calmly, like nothing was wrong.

"Could you tell me where she is then?" He asked, trying to lead me to answer him.

"Now why would I do that? How do you know that she wants to be found?" I meowed walking around, running my tail over his pelt.

"Tell me where she is, Mintsong!" He screamed at me.

"Okay I will, Fang!" I called to the white tom, who then preceded to drag the she-cat into the open. He dropped her in the middle of the clearing. He whispered something in her ear, to which she whimpered.

"Fang, hold him down." I meowed, at the tom.

"Yes Mintsong." He answered walking over towards the brown cat.

"Good job, Fang. Now don't let him go." Mintsong meowed, walking over, and pinning down Rosefall.

"Oakfoot do you know what I'm going to do to your precious little mate here?" Mintsong said, looking over at him.

"No, but don't hurt her please. I'm begging you." He pleaded at her, his green eyes growing huge.

"Too bad, Oakfoot. You killed my mate now I'm going to kill yours." Mintsong snarled at the brown tom.

"No! Please! I'm begging you!" He yowled, he sounded so pitiful. Oh well.

She raised her paw to make the killing blow. (Oakfoot deserves this,) Mintsong thought vindictively. (Oakfoot deserves to suffer, to feel the same pain I felt when Stagheart died) but when she looked into Rosefall's eyes, she just couldn't it. Why couldn't she? She was prepared to do this. Why couldn't she do it now? She stepped off of the cream colored she-cat. "I can't do it."

"What did you just say?" Fang hissed, glaring at me.

"I can't. She's expecting kits. I can't kill a pregnant mother." I meowed, staring at the queen. "Let him go."

"I won't let you do this, Mintsong. If you won't kill her, than I will." He growled leaping at the she-cat's neck... claws unsheathed.

"NOO!" Mintsong yowled, as she jumped in his way, his claws digging into her neck. She collapsed blood gushing from the wound in her neck.

"Mintsong!" Rosefall yowled, running over to the fallen warrior.

"How dare you attack my mate!" Oakfoot yowled as he jumped on two toms tumbled in the dust and grass in the clearing.

"Mintsong, why did you do that? Why did you sacrifice yourself for me?" Rosefall asked, grief tugging at her voice.

"Because I can't kill a pregnant she-cat, even if she is my enemy's mate." She meowed, to weak to lift her head.

"How did you know that, anyway?" She asked, bewildered I knew that fact. As far as I know, she hadn't even told Oakfoot.

"I was once a pregnant queen too, and when I looked in your eyes I saw fear, but not the fear of just your life, but your kits lives as well. Take care of my Duskkit please! you will find her a little ways away from here just follow the scent trail. Tell her I love her. Goodbye." Mintsong rasped, her breathing becoming shallower and shallower, until finally it stopped all together. Her green eyes glazed over, and her body becoming cold.

When Mintsong opened her eyes again she saw what she longed for most. Her mate, Stagheart, standing there waiting for her. "Stagheart!"

"Mintsong!" The starry brown tom yowled as he ran towards her. When they reached each other, they rubbed their muzzles together. "I love you, Mintsong."

"I love you more Stagheart." She meowed as she rubbed her head into his neck fur.

15 moons later

"Duskpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this clan even at the cost of your life?" Thornstar yowled from the top of the rockpile.

"I do!" Duskpaw meowed, trying very hard to not jump up in the air in joy.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your new warrior name. Duskpaw from this moment on you will be known as Dusksong! StarClan honors your courage, and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan!" He yowled, touching his nose to the top of her head. She licked his shoulder while the clan cheered her new name.

"Dusksong, Dusksong, Dusksong!" The clan yowled her new name to StarClan.


End file.
